Trail of Blood
by Athyra
Summary: AU. Detailed Summary Inside. A deadly game of wits and patience. A girl determined to find the serial killer, and a cop determined to protect the unwilling girl. And the killer always watching and ready to strike. Who will catch who first? AxC, NxM
1. Prologue Hostage

_**SUMMARY: **After her brother was gravely injured from an attempted murder, Cagalli lost faith in the police forces, determined to seek out the serial killer herself. Athrun, a promising young policeman was ordered to protect her, yet it proved to be difficult as the protectee herself blatantly refused the police's offer. Both of them were oblivious to the sinister plot brewing in the unknown killer's mind, ever so patient and watchful. Who will catch who first?_

_**MAIN PAIRINGs:**_ _Athrun x Cagalli; Nicol x Meyrin_

**_A/N:_** _By main pairings, I mean those two will be the two relationships I'll try to focus on, but not necessarily the characters themselves._

_**DISCLAIMER: **__This is a story based on characters and situations from Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny._

_**WARNING: **__Text and all related materials are rated __**PG13/T**__ There are/might be some grammatical errors and typos, spelling mistakes, even after rereading it many times. __This story will not be fluffy. I'm trying to keep this fic as realistic as possible, and just as harsh, even. There will be several OCs, but they hold no real spotlight in the plot._

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**Prologue: The Hostage**

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"Here it is."

Barely moving, a figure concealed by the darkness shifted anxiously. His brown eyes flickered to the right, waiting for the signal to take action. He swallowed nervously, willing for his breathing to return normal. All he could hear was the oddly comforting beats of his own heart, as if reassuring that he would be fine.

To his right was another man leaning against the tree, patient and alert. His sharp green eyes were trained solely on the battered undercover van, which was flanked by two other vans, manned and idling in the vast parking lot.

The place was filled with a countless variety of cars, anonymous and ordinary. Yet, Athrun Zala's eyes were locked on the beat-up van only, ignoring everything else. He knew he had the right target; the van's windows were tarnished expertly, too peculiar for a rather scruffy car.

His suspicions were confirmed when a figure hoisted a large equipment bag out of the van, and started to drag it across the parking lot. More people got out from the other two vans and walked besides the first one casually, looking as if they were just going to play an early morning game of baseball.

But Athrun knew otherwise.

As the dawn light was casted upon the moving figures, Athrun's partner lowered his periscope with practiced calmness. "Yes, it is Kevin Stewart, Athrun," his whisper flowed smoothly with the wind, quiet and undetectable.

"Are you ready, Shiho? Rey? Yzak?" Athrun's lips moved silently. Without waiting for a reply, his gaze caught his partner's, and he nodded.

"Understood," Nicol Amalfi's fingers closed over the gun's metal frame with a sense of familiarity. His eyes were weary yet piercing, staring at the laughing Kevin with absolute confidence. Athrun smiled lightly, approving his partner's attitude, and he left his hiding point gracefully.

His arms rose steadily as he levelled his gun with the target's head. Kevin and his subordinates froze momentarily, but relaxed at the sight of only Athrun and Nicol.

"Down to the ground," Athrun commanded evenly, never lowering his guard.

"Now, now, we don't want any trouble. See here? We're just here for a friendly game of baseball," Kevin smiled affably, gesturing at the other men and the large equipment bag.

But his actions belied his words; he stepped backwards and put his hands in his pockets warily.

"Down to the ground," Athrun repeated, unfazed. He knew what were in those pockets, but he was well-prepared.

"Look, kid, who do you think you are?" Kevin growled churlishly, all the pleasant facade vanished. His men gathered around him, drawing out their guns as well. One of the more bellicose ones shot at the ground near Nicol's feet, who flinched in surprise but otherwise remained unmoved.

"I warned you," was all Athrun said before shooting at one of the men's leg, disabling him.

Gunshots sliced through the air, and Kevin dove for cover. Athrun and Nicol, likewise, hid behind one of the cars, waiting for the signal to rejoin the fight.

Smoke slowly drifted towards the sky as bullets ignited the vehicles around them. Men yelled in pain, grunting and screaming curses, trying to discover the origin of their attacker.

"Go, Kevin and two of his men are running away with the bag!" Lunamaria Hawke came up besides Athrun and replaced his position. The blunette went after the target without a word, followed closely by his loyal partner.

From his periphel vision, Athrun spotted Yzak taking down one of the men with a swift kick to the stomach, making the latter groan in utter pain. In a feckless attempt to retaliate, another man charged towards Yzak with rather gauche movements. Dearka, Yzak's partner, quickly aimed a blow at the man's head, knocking him out cold.

Shiho and Lunamaria were exchanging shots with the two men hiding behind a pickup truck. Shiho frowned at their distance; she nudged her partner's arm, and Lunamaria, understanding Shiho's intention, dove for the car besides her while firing wildly at enemies. As the men concentrated on Lunamaria, Shiho swiftly leapt onto the car's ceiling and took aim within a second. The two men gasped in agony as bullets slammed into their ribs, and were immediately silenced by Lunamaria's consecutive rounds.

More men came into Athrun's vision, but he had expected it; he continued to run forward, mindless of the bullets brushing by his cheek and arm. Nicol ran behind Athrun and fired at one of the men, successfully disrupting the enemies' barricade attempt. Seeing they were determined to stop them from chasing Kevin, Athrun leapt sideways, pulling Nicol with him.

Panting harshly for breath, Athrun peeked up from the car he was hiding behind and fired randomly. Nicol smiled grimly, knowing his partner's mind as if it were his own, copied Athrun's action. It was only a matter of time.

The stalemate was finally broken when Shinn recklessly jumped in front of the line of fire and pulled the trigger. The bullet found its way and the unfortunate target fell backwards lifelessly, his face full of blood. The other man also went down with a gurgled choke, and Rey lowered his gun with a cold glare.

Using the moment's distraction to his full advantage, Athrun quickly took out two more men, and resumed the chase. He didn't even flinch when Kevin's two followers turned around and tried to hit him. He and his partner's teamwork was flawless, that Athrun knew; Nicol cleverly disabled the two men when they were too concentrated on Athrun, who played decoy.

Kevin ceased running, knowing it was futile to drag the heavy bag by himself. He pulled something out of his pocket and swung backwards, using the momentum as a source of strength.

The sudden change in speed surprised Athrun and he couldn't stop in time. His gun flew out of his hand when a knife slashed diagonally across his fingers. He glanced at his bleeding hand almost angrily, cursing inwardly for his laspe in reflex.

Wasting no time at all, Kevin swung the balisong knife again, intending to cut his opponent's throat open. Athrun's head leaned back, and his hand shot up at the same time, earning a yelp from Kevin. Locking his uninjured hand around the other man's wrist, Athrun twisted around in a circle and threw Kevin over his shoulder by momentum.

Kevin landed on the ground with a painful thud. Nicol, who caught up, quickly handcuffed the heavily winded man and kept him still on the ground.

"Kevin Stewart, age 32, known for his chicanery with lawsuits and connections with local illegal trades, you are hereby under the the custody of Carpentaria Police Force."

Athrun exhaled in relief when he heard the distant sound of more police cars. Yzak and the rest seemed fine, with a few scrapes here and there. It was a wonder Shinn never got hit, with the way he charged headfirst into battles; Rey really knew how to cover his impulsive partner efficiently. Shiho's long dark hair swished back and forth as she jumped down from the car's ceiling. She patted her partner's shoulder, who nodded simply. Yzak huffed and folded his arms, and Dearka patted his holster and gave Athrun a grin.

"You alright?" Nicol knew not to worry about his friend too much; Athrun was too stubborn to let himself appear weak.

"I might not be able to hold a gun as effectively for awhile, but-"

"You're ambidextrious, I know," Nicol smiled lightly, and Athrun couldn't help but smile back. Sure his hand stung, but the bleeding had stopped long ago, since it was a shallow cut.

Their mission was a complete success; a barely injured hand was a worthwhile price for it.

His good mood quickly sombered, his green eyes swept over the once peaceful parking lot with a hint of regret. Now marred by the dark stain of blood, the cement was littered with bodies of Kevin's bodyguards. Even thought they were granted the permission to kill if they were fired upon first, Athrun still felt it inhuman to resort to 'killing'. Necessary, yes, but it still felt strange, even after all those years.

He glanced at the younger man besides him. Nicol was a valuable, irreplaceable partner, but it was obvious tonight's brutal fight had a visible effect on him. Nicol's eyes were shielded with unreadable emotions, but Athrun understood his partner's feeling.

"Athrun, I'll handle the other guys and the clearing up, you go take a look at the bag," Miguel Aiman, their boss, walked out of the police car and nodded to Athrun and Nicol.

Knowing Miguel will take care of everything else, Athrun walked towards the bag, fairly certain what to expect. After all, Kevin was often convicted of illegal dealings of weaponry and drugs, but he always wiggled out and had gotten away... until now, of course.

Bags of marihuana, cases of magazines or maybe even several newly-modified rifles, yes, but Athrun Zala did not expect to find an unconscious girl inside the huge bag.

"...Wh...," for the first time since his career as a policeman, Athrun Zala could only blink rather stupidly at the girl. But he quickly gathered his wits and gently pulled the girl out of the bag.

Her blond hair was messy and stained with dried blood. Her oval face was scratched and her shirt was dirty with mud. She looked so pale that he thought she was dead. His heart started beating again when the girl's chest rose slightly with a faint breath.

"Get an ambulance, Nicol."

The younger man nodded and left quickly, also concerned for the injured girl. Athrun tried to loosen the girl's collar more; who knew how long had she been shut inside of the bag?

_Just what was Kevin doing with the girl in the bag?_ _I was not informed of this hostage at all, or was it an impulsive kidnapping? Who is this girl?_ Athrun gently laid the girl's head on the bag, noting from the crusty feel of the blood on her head, the wound had been inflicted awhile ago.

Her eyes suddenly shot open and she sat up abruptly, only to hiss in pain at her muscles' protest of sudden movement.

"Miss, don't move around that much, you're badly hurt. An ambulance is on its way," Athrun tried to sooth the girl as kindly as he could, assuming that she was probably confused and scared of this unfamiliar environment.

He was surprised yet again, when the girl looked up and glared at him resentfully. "Yes, I _know_ I'm hurt!" Her blazing amber eyes looked over his uniform, and narrowed in contempt, "A cop huh. I should've known. If only you guys hadn't interfered, I would've known what that Kevin was up to... you ruined my plan!"

Athrun stared at her dubiously, not believing what he was hearing.

The blond girl glared back, not a hint of gratitude was apparent in her eyes but frustration.

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End of Prologue

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**A/N:** It's some idea I have in my mind since long ago. I've decided to upload this chapter anyways even though I haven't finished/updated my other fics.

I know in my other fic, **As Guilty as Innocent**, Athrun was also a policeman. But this fic will be much darker than the other one, as Athrun isn't just a prison guard.

This story will center around Cagalli, Athrun, Nicol and Meyrin, and their attempt to catch a serial killer before he/she kills them. The serial killer could be some of the stereotypical antagonists, or it could be someone completely unexpected. Who knows?

This fic will also have a lot of OCs, either as antagonists or victims (since sometimes I don't want to kill off a 'real' character). Not to worry, the OCs will not have any spotlight but they will be mentioned here and there, like this Kevin Stewart for example.

So, what do you think? Please leave an encouraging review or constructive criticism! Thanks.

Athyra


	2. Trail 1 Codename Viper

_**DISCLAIMER: **__This is an AU story based on characters and situations from Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny._

_**WARNING:** Slightly graphic descriptions of crimes scenes._

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**Trail 1- Codename: Viper**

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"How is she?" Nicol stood up quickly and asked.

Dearka shrugged and chuckled, "Oh, well enough to scream at me for trying to bandage her head."

"No one wants you near their personal space, Elthman," Yzak snapped without looking up from his desk, trying to concentrate on the papers before him. Dearka knew it was a cue to 'start working and stop talking'.

Athrun signed tiredly, rubbing his temples at an incoming headache. After the girl's unexpected outburst, she had promptly passed out. The medical team said she must rest and replenish the amount of oxygen her body needed. The girl's injury was treated immediately and she woke up soon after, much to the doctor's surprise.

"Shiho, did you run a background check on her?" He asked the silent girl, who was twirling a pen with a bored expression.

"Cagalli Yula Athha, age 24, a brilliant student graduated from University of Aprilius, one of the most prestigious schools with the best program for medical studies. She was an interm in Minerva Hospital, but-"

"But?"

"She gave up the pursue of her career a few months ago due to unknown reasons. She was involved in several small cases of burglary and drug trades."

"Drug trades. Does she have any previous records?"

"Involved she was, she was always the one who had the thieves and dealers caught instead of the other way around."

Athrun's eyebrow rose in mild surprise. "Not bad...so she tried to connect with those types of people to get information-"

_"You ruined my plan!" _He recalled her furious expression and smiled. "And she always succeeded?"

"Yes," Shiho answered curtly, and resumed the twirling of her pen.

_Interesting. She gave up her promising career for some information that would endanger her own life? For what purpose?_

"So who's interrogating Kevin Stewart right now?" Nicol sat back down and leaned against the chair, looking immensely relieved.

"Rey. Shinn already went home. It wasn't originally his shift today anyways."

"Okay, am I not allowed to go home now? What do you want?" A familiar voice huffed in annoyance.

The owner of the voice appeared at the door, 'escorted' by an exasperated Lunamaria. Cagalli's eyes briefly locked with Athrun's and she scowled scornfully. Athrun's finger twitched at her supercilious attitude.

"What is it?" Miguel, who was napping until now, looked over at the girl with a frown.

"Sir, her testimony sounded rather...questionable," Lunamaria glanced at her captive thoughtfully.

"Let's hear it, Miss Athha," Miguel put his chin on his hands, and everyone stopped what the were doing, all eyes on Cagalli.

She rolled her eyes, unfazed by the attention. She stared pointedly at Athrun.

"I was walking home to my apartment after buying some groceries. You know, a typical day. I was walking by this mansion when I was knocked unconscious. The first thing I saw, when I woke up, was _your face_," Cagalli said casually, with no hint of hesitation.

Perhaps it was Athrun's imagination, but he heard a sneer when she said 'your face'. He was becoming even more irritated with her, but he tried not let his indignation show.

"Your testimony certainly sounds plausible, Ms.Athha," Athrun folded his arms and stared at her with a stern frown, "Yet, there are many things that don't add up: for example, according to your address, the route you take to walk by Kevin's mansion is a little out of the way for you. Would you care to explain that?"

"Can't a gal take a different route to go home, say, to enjoy the walk since the weather was rather pleasant?"

_Something still doesn't add up, that's obvious; she's not telling us something, yet we have no power to question her further, her being a victim in this case._

"So, what do you think, Rey?" Athrun asked the blond calmly, who just appeared behind Cagalli.

She glared at the man for startling her, but Rey took no notice. "Her words matched Kevin's; his men caught her around his mansion just as he was about to make the transfer."

Miguel nodded, understanding what he meant by 'transfer', and urged him to go on. "Wanting to make sure there was no witness, Kevin decided to kidnap her first, and figure out what to do with her later."

"Exactly what he says. Now, excuse me, I have a rather busy schedule," Cagalli said in an impertinent tone. Without giving any of them a glance, she brushed by Rey and Lunamaria and headed towards the door.

Athrun's green eyes narrowed in strong dislike; his bandaged hand stung, as if reminding him of his pride as a policeman.

"Cagalli Yula Athha," he spoke slowly and clearly, and she halted at the mention of her name, "Whatever plan you're trying isn't working. Just leave everything to us, and not get yourself caught in such situation again."

Nicol was about to speak, playing the peacemaker again, but Dearka quickly kicked the younger man's leg to stop him. All the cops' eyes were onced again focused on Cagalli, whose fists were clenched in anger.

"Oh? You think you know everything, Mr. Cop. Well, guess what, I'm doing this because you guys aren't doing your job properly. I'll reach my goal without your _help_." She closed the door behind her rather softly as she left.

"Not doing our job? That little-" Yzak snarled furiously, but Nicol stopped the tempestuous man before he could go after the blonde.

Athrun had never felt so angry. Cagalli's words were spoken quietly, but they sounded like thunder in his ears. How dare she thought so little of them? Who knew what could've happened to her, trapped in that bag? She knew nothing about what it was like to be a policeman! The courage needed to stare, unflinching, at the dark barrel of a gun. The self-composure required to investigate a gruesome murder scene. The never-ending doubt and guilt afflicting his conscience after every single bullet he fired. She knew nothing!

"Athrun," Nicol patted his shoulder to get his attention. His injured hand was bleeding slightly again. The blunette sighed deeply and re-wrapped the wound, reminding himself how insignificant it was to get himself so worked up over a mere civilian's words.

Miguel watched his subordinates with an amused grin. " We haven't had that kind of victim for awhile, eh? Well, we could've done something about her attitude, but she was right on some level - we _do_ have more important matters to worry about."

"The Viper," Rey's usually unreadable face frowned darkly. The room's atmosphere tensed instantly at the codename.

Athrun closed his eyes, recalling the first unsolved case he had received as a policeman.

It was a year ago, when a girl named Stellar Louissier was killed by a severe slashing wound. He remembered the day very well, how broken Shinn was when he learned of his girlfriend's death. Everything changed that day - it was the beginning of chaos. More and more people were murdered by the same person. The police gave the killer the codename 'Viper' because each victim had only one thing in common - a small slash made into a shape of a snake with a forked tongue.

It was the killer's signature, branding their claim on their kill and telling the world of their cleverness in avoiding the police. The crime rates rose considerably, and small con-artists such as Kevin took it as a cue to stir up trouble.

_I will catch whoever killed Stellar, even if it takes my life, _Shinn had told him once. The raven-haired man was never the same, driven only by inexorable thoughts of revenge and justice.

"Who's the latest victim again?" Dearka asked, his lax posture now stiff with seriousness.

"Jack Specka, 27, member of the Blue Dragon gang. He had been arrested countless times by Lunamaria and I," Shiho said, looking through the files dutifully, "wait, there was something unusual about the next victim."

"Next victim? I'm pretty certain Specka was the most recent one," Athrun stood up and walked over to Shiho's desk, followed by a nonplussed Dearka.

"Kira Yamato, 24, graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Engineering. This file was rather vague with descriptions of his injury, but-"

"He's the first person who wasn't killed after an encounter with the Viper!" Dearka gasped.

"Here it said that Mr. Yamato was discovered by a Ms. Clyne just in time to send him to the hospital. He barely escaped death, but it was clear he was the Viper's victim - he had the signature carved onto his back."

Nicol cringed in disgust; this killer's fondness of the signature had left many victims unidentifiable, as the signature sometimes differed in scale and place - meaning sometimes the faces were mutilated beyond recognition.

"Athrun," Miguel commanded quietly, "This is a valuable lead. I want you and Nicol to pay Mr. Yamato a visit."

"Yes sir."

The chief's cellphone started to ring; the specific ringtone showed that it was from Shinn.

"Shinn," he answered curtly. His sharp ocher eyes glanced at Lunamaria, "Very well. I'll send Athrun and Nicol there right now."

"What's going on?" Yzak looked up from his paper work, alert.

"Shinn just informed me that, on his way home, he passed by someone who was shouting for help. He didn't elaborate more, but it was your sister, Lunamaria."

"What about Meyrin? Is she alright? Chief, let me go with Nicol and Athrun, please."

At the mention of Meyrin's name, Nicol snapped to attention. Athrun was quite concerned, even though he didn't know Lunamaria's sister that well. Lunamaria didn't mention her sister at all around her working environment because she was reluctant to get her sister involved in this dangerou profession, either directly or indirectly. It was to be expected that the two siblings don't contact each other as much now that their career paths differed so much: Lunamaria as a cop and Meyrin as an elementary school teacher. As for Nicol, Meyrin was his childhood friend, and so naturally, he would care about her well-being.

After their Chief's approval, the three wasted no time and went straight to Shinn's location by following the transmitter signal from Shinn's police car.

"It's the Chantrell District," Athrun said with a hint of confusion.

The Chantrell District is nicknamed 'Halcyon Region' because nothing violent, not even a brawl between overly-excited teenagers had ever occurred here. Why had Meyrin called for help?

"There they are-" Nicol trailed off abruptly. Athrun followed his gaze to the two figures standing in the rain.

The rain only made Meyrin's hair darker, like the color of blood. The girl was obviously terrified, the way she was hugging herself and shivering. Shinn was standing beside her rather awkwardly, uncertain whether to comfort her or leave her alone. His expression was grim and dark, his reddish pupils shone with bright fury.

"Meyrin!"

The girl visibly relaxed at the sound of her sister's voice. She quickly went into Lunamaria's arms for comfort, while the latter could only stare, perlaxed, at ther younger girl's behaviour.

Meyrin was usually stubborn in terms of displaying any signs of weaknesses, especially in front of her sister. Yet, it was apparent she was scared to the point of disregarding her proud image. Nicol quickly went to her side and was instantly wrapped in a desperate embrace. He blushed lightly, but he knew it was not the time for that.

"Hey, Athrun. Um," Shinn lowered his voice to a whisper, so Meyrin wouldn't hear him, "it's probably best that she doesn't hear me describe the crime scene again."

"Crime scene?" Athrun's usually composed expression crumbled in shock.

"Yea, I know," Shinn nodded with barely restrained anger, "I guess with the rate the society is corrupting, even Chantrell would become a target. Meyrin told me that she was supposed to meet with the parents of one of her students, because they missed the Bring-Your-Parents-to-School Day. When she arrived, she had rang the bell but no one answered. She then discovered that the door was unlocked. After she opened the door, she saw-"

Shinn swallowed with difficulty. "Well, she didn't really tell me exactly what she saw but... there were three bodies in the living room. I was passing by the nighborhood when I heard someone screaming, then I saw her. I haven't went inside to check the people myself, as I was staying beside her, in case the killer wanted to come back and finish a possible witness. I did call an ambulance but I am pretty sure it was...unnecessary."

"Let's go, Nicol. Lunamaria, stay here with Meyrin," Athrun kept his voice as strong as possible. Another unstopped crime. "_You guys aren't doing your job properly!"_ Athrun chuckled bitterly to himself_. Perhaps you're right, Cagalli Yula Athha. We really are useless, just as you had said._

"I can't stay, Athrun. I need to pick up Mayu; she won't stand being in her high school any longer than she had to," Shinn said monotonously.

Athrun nodded, approving his request to leave. Everyone in the police station actually knew Shinn's sister pretty well, as he always talked about either her or Stellar. After _that_ event, he rarely talked about anything anymore.

The ambulance arrived soon after the black-haired man left. One of the paramedics immediately went to Meyrin for a routine check-up; the rest were on standby, waiting for Athrun's orders.

The blunette took a deep breath and entered the house, followed by a solicitous Nicol.

A rancid stench mixed with the aroma of blood blew into their faces as soon as they opened the door. It looked like someone had put a brave struggle; chairs broken and sprayed around the hallways while cushions and pictures were strawn about in a haphazard manner.

Athrun remained silent even as Nicol breathed sharply at the sight of the bloody bodies laying on the crimson carpet. He was half-relieved that the bodies were lying face down, for he hated seeing the victims' empty gazes filled with overflowing emotions. The dark stain of blood could still be detected even under little to no light in the living room.

"He was just a little kid... who could've done something so terrible?" Nicol cried.

Athrun swallowed hard and his stomach dropped as he found what he was looking for. It was as if the bodies were specially arranged; the father, the boy, then the mother, their skin praticaly unscathed save for the one continuous wound carved into their backs to make up an entire picture.

The Viper's insignia.

* * *

Cagalli scratched her cheek irritably; the band-aids were so incessantly itchy. She growled inwardly at recalling her earlier failure: she was snooping around Kevin's mansion when she was knocked unconscious. The last thing she remembered was falling headfirst into the muddy garden and a blinding pain on her head. 

True, she might have been in serious danger (or killed), but she was absolutely confident in her ability to escape unscathed (well, not completely unscathed but without critical injuries) **and** with information. After all, she had done it numerous times for the past few months. Her head injury and being locked up in a bag were just a minor setback.

Then the police just had to interfere. That cop... Officer Zala was it? His words had left an indelible impression on her. He seemed so certain he would never fail, that he was always right. Well, she knew otherwise.

She heard a murmured conversation and hesitated in knocking on the door. Her respect for her brother's privacy won over her curiosity and she knocked on the door to indicate her arrival.

"Come on in," came Kira's cheerful voice. Cagalli grinned at the sound of her twin's voice, glad that he was fine.

She tried not to grimace when a rather vivid piece of memory flashed in her mind. Good thing Kira's whole body was covered by a blanket, so his head, the only wound-free part, was visible.

"W-what happened?" A timorous voice gasped.

Cagalli gave her best friend slash her brother's girlfriend an apologetic look, bracing herself for what was coming. Lacus's face was pale and troubled, as it had been since Kira's incident months ago. The poor girl was already too shaken up to hear another loved one's injury.

Kira grunted in slight pain as he tried to sit up at seeing her sister's bandaged face. Lacus was by his side instantly, putting a soothing hand on his chest. But even without Lacus's prevention, Kira couldn't have sat up anyways - he was temporarily paralyzed from neck down.

"It's nothing. It was just an accident," Cagalli said vaguely.

"Shouldn't you be lying down?"

"No, really, I'm fine. I'm fine anough to walk around without feeling dizzy at all!" Cagalli tried not to look at her friend's pleading blue eyes. If she did, she would start feeling guilty and would start questioning herself.

_I'm doing this for a good cause._ She reasoned with herself for the umpteenth time_. What use am I staying in the hospital, while the Viper is out there murdering for no reason? The sooner the Viper gets caught, the better. _

She recalled her working days at the Minerva Hospital; she had treated countless patients victimized by malicious people, who had grown bold under the Viper's indirect lead. The stories she had heard! How they had suffered, physically and emtionally, all because one person? Why weren't the police doing anything? The cops understood nothing about civilian's lives, how they had to constantly live in fear of being assaulted.

Cagalli glanced at her brother worriedly. From what she knew of, Kira was the only lucky survivor from the Viper's attack. Therefore, the Viper might come and finish him off.

"Seriously, what have you been doing these past few months? I've asked Lacus to check up on you at the hospital, only to find that you haven't been going there at all," Kira's amethyst eyes acquired an unfathomable look.

Cagalli tried to ignore Kira's serious voice, "Don't worry, li' bro. You've always looked out for me when we were little, now it's my turn. I promise the Viper won't hurt you again."

Lacus and Kira exchanged an unreadable look. The girl sighed deeply and the brunette closed his eyes.

"Alright, we won't question you anymore. But the minute I regain my body's control, I'll find out what's going on."

_Kira can be scary sometimes, the way he intimidates people without even trying to. _Cagalli gulped nervously at his imperative tone.

The beeper in her pocket vibrated, signaling the end of her visit...and the beginning of her new mission provided by one of her leads. This time, she won't mess up like before and she will definitely not get herself involved with the police again.

_That sullen green-eyed cop...I'll show him!_

The blond left the room without looking back, missing dark and solemn eyes following her form out of the hospital.

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End of Trail 1

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**A/N:** A chapter of information on our main unknown antagonist. If you find it graphic and dark, well, I've said it before, this isn't exactly a happy story.

First off, I want to say "Watch every character carefully." Some people are already guessing! Well, all I can say is wait and see. Not all characters are introduced yet.

And the OC's names are of no importance (they're just the first names that come to my mind.). So I apologize for any coicidences (if a reader happends to have the same first name or last name etc.)

Also, I apologize for killing off Stellar already. There is a reason for that. The only main couples will be Asucaga and NicolxMeyrin, and implied KxL. Others I'm not too sure yet.

I don't know, perhaps I might get to update more often.

Constructive criticisms to improve my writing, or simply encouraging reviews to brighten up my stressful days!

Athyra


	3. Trail 2 The Weapon Dealer

_**DISCLAIMER: **__This is an AU story based on characters and situations from Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny._

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**Trail 2- The Weapon Dealer**

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"Are you sure about this, Nicol?"

Nicol nodded determinedly at his partner, "Yes. I already asked Shiho to find Kira Yamato's whereabouts for us. We need to check this out first."

He held out a plastic bag that contained a custom made pistol. "RMGYXN. I remember seeing this code before. Several of the Viper's case had abandoned weapons left on the scene, including the murder of the Andersons we had discovered a few days ago. I'm sure the weapons were custom-made by the same person."

"And you think this is him?"

Nicol stared at the grinning red-haired man in the picture. "Yes. Rusty Mackenzie, underground weapons trader. He customized guns for a hefty sum. His clients are mostly anonymous, but he doesn't mind that as long as they do pay for his works. The Viper may or may not be in the same league as him," he paused, frowning, "or perhaps, he is the Viper himself."

Athrun flipped through the files thoughtfully with a hardened expression. Nicol knew to stay silent whenever the blunette had such expression - that he was carefully putting together all the leads they had so far and try to determine the suspect's guilt. Nicol stared at the plastic bag, deciding that he should try to figure out something too instead of letting Athrun do the analyzing most of the time. Rookie or not, Nicol felt more responsible than ever to contribute even more to this case. He sighed, recalling the visit he made to Meyrin yesterday -

_"How did the class handle it?" Nicol asked gently. He knew how much Meyrin loved her class and thus, she must be incredibly shaken up by the Andersons' deaths. Meyrin's head was down, her long red hair obscuring her face from his view. In her hands was a picture frame - such a happy, innocent class field trip photo filled with unsuspecting people, unaware of the horrible fate awaiting their fellow classmate._

_"Many of them are absent today, still," Meyrin said softly, her finger ghosting over a particular boy's face. That Anderson boy. "Mitchell was well-loved by his class... we all miss him terribly. I-I don't understand why such a thing happened to this wonderful boy. He was so sweet and caring, very talented in sports and very mature for his age. I-I should have done something for him. I should' have been a better teacher to him, I-"_

_"It's not your fault, Meyrin. You and I both know you are an amazing teacher, and Mitchell definitely thought so too, judging from the hug he had given you in this photo," Nicol put his hand on top of hers sympathetically._

_She lifted her head slightly, and Nicol could see tears rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. He wanted to make them stop. He wanted the sparks back in her eyes. He wanted the confident Meyrin back._

_"I promise I will find out who committed this heinous crime." Somewhere at the back of his mind, Nicol heard Shinn muttering this exact same words, after Stellar's death. _

_Meyrin's grateful smile certainly boosted Nicol's confidence._

"I believe this man is innocent. He had alibis to many of the cases. Whether he is or isn't in league with the Viper is still questionable, however," Athrun concluded, breaking Nicol out of his reverie.

The younger man could still see Meyrin's tears and the poor kid's cold, empty eyes. "No, Athrun. Rusty is as guilty as the Viper for providing them the weapon."

Athrun's lips curved, "I guess you're right. Now, let's go pay him a visit. I'm sure he has valuable information for us. Now, what is our target's current location?"

Nicol glanced at the small screen in his hand, "She will arrive at the destination in fifteen minutes. She has two other persons with her, apparently."

"Bodyguards. Figures. Well, this makes trailing her much easier," Athrun grabbed the folder that was labelled 'Meer Campbell' and put it in his briefcase. "Let's go."

"I think I'll drive," Nicol said, eying Athrun's bandaged fingers. He chuckled wholeheartedly, "Very considerate of you, Nicol, even though you know my injury's practically healed. Alright then."

Hearing the blunette's laugh, Nicol felt less anxious of today's job. Really, he wouldn't want anyone else to be his partner.

* * *

Athrun was very proud of his stealth and undercover skill. Ever since a botched up surveillance mission (he still had the scar near his clavicle), he was very careful about every single movement. He smiled inwardly when Meer Campbell passed by him without a second glance at all. Having dark colored hair certainly had its advantage to blend in with the shadow. Nicol, unfortunately, had to wear a wig.

_Meer Campbell, pop idol with a scandalous background. Rumoured to have been involved in the Janarius Drug Trade_, Athrun mentally ran over the information on this dark-haired woman (1). _Why would she require Rusty's weapons? If she is the Viper, that would make her bodyguards her accomplices as well. Sven Cal Bayang, orphan, formerly part of Orga Sabnak's group. Heine Westenfluss, former military man. All of Heine's records were good. So why was he involved in something like this, regardless of Meer's intention with the weapons she purchased? Hmm. Perhaps I should improvise today's plan._

Athrun's sharp eyes followed Meer's haughty walk, then trained onto the weapons she quickly slipped into her rather large bras. Two custom pistol. Athrun tried his best to memorize the guns' particular shapes and sizes, knowing Nicol was doing the same. Sven and Heine followed Meer dutifully.

Rusty Mackenzie casually waved good-bye to them, but Athrun's seasoned eyes weren't fooled by his goofy demeanor. The red-haired man had a cold calculating look, contrasting sharply against his wide smirk.

"Nicol. Follow Meer and observe closely, especially any uncharacteristic moves. I'll talk to Rusty," Athrun whispered. The younger man wordlessly slipped off; Athrun was proud of his partner's improvements in stealth. _Now_, his uninjured finger closed _around his gun silently, we shall see._

He inwardly thanked the harsh training on reaction time when Rusty whipped out a pistol and fired at the spot Athrun was standing a mere second ago. Rusty had a relaxed grin on his face, his eyes crinkling with amusement, "Come out, whoever's there. Sneaking up on me with a gun doesn't work on someone such as myself. My ears are quite sensitive to any creaking sound a gun makes."

"I thought clients can remain anonymous as long as we pay the money," Athrun said calmly, ignoring at the sizzling bullet hole beside his head.

"Of course, but I know you ain't no customer, trepasser," Rusty shrugged, "No one but people with connections know where my shop is. Who are you and what the hell do you want, sneaking up on me like that?"

Athrun smiled lightly even though he knew Rusty couldn't see him. "You are not in a position to ask any questions, Mr. Mackenzie."

"Oh? And why is that?" Rusty's eyes narrowed dangerously.

He yelped in surprise when something sharp hit his hand, causing him to drop the pistol. Within a few seconds, Rusty was subdued and forced face-down onto the ground. He tried to struggle but found that his wrists were already handcuffed. Athrun chuckled, "Your ears aren't sensitive to anything else, I suppose."

"What did you throw at my hand?"

"My pencil."Rusty sputtered indignantly at the answer.

"Don't underestimate anything, Mr.Mackenzie. As I've learned from my dealings with numerous…shady characters, anything's fair weapon. Although I admit I did not expect the pencil to hit your hand; it was meant to distract you."

The weapon dealer sighed in resignation, "What do you want then?"

"Tell me what you know of the Viper."

If Athrun's deduction was correct, which he was certain he was, Rusty was merely someone who made the weapons and sold them. And since most of his clients were anonymous, he couldn't have known the Viper's identity.

"Why do you ask me that? Are you a detective or something?"

"Just answer me."

"Pff. I know nuthin'. Yeah, sometimes on the news I see the weapons left behind and they were made by me but hey, a man's gotta survive. If that Viper wants to keep buyin' guns offa me, I'm not about to complain."

"I see. How do you get the weapons to the anonymous clients?"

"There are always different trading spots. My subordinates deliver'em to those places. Whether they were picked up by the right person of not I don't know or care. As long as I got the money it's all good."

"Very well," Athrun felt something akin to hope prickle at the back of his mind, "Where is the next trading spot?"

Rusty was quiet for awhile. Athrun was about to knock him out when the weapon dealer started laughing.

"Alright, why not tell you? Think of it as a prize for being the first person to render me weaponless. It's The Pit, you know? The new nightclub down at Jane Street. A pretty fancy bar, very tight security and all that. But hey, Detective, I believe you've worn out your welcome."

Athrun's body tensed immediately at the sensation of several guns pointing at him.

"Nice meeting you. I'll remember your little distraction trick. In fact, I think I'll keep your pencil as a souvenir," Rusty's tone was almost friendly.

_Looks like I have no choice but activate the bombs I hid around the shop, _Athrun thought grimly. His injured finger was about to press the switch hidden within the bandages when smoke suddenly filled the area. The blunette trusted his instinct, rolling away from Rusty. Gunshots blasted loudly around him as he made his escape hastily. _So, Nicol is back. Even though I'm grateful for his intervention but why is he back so early?_

When he reached a safe distance, he was met with a scornful laugh of a familiar blonde rather than Nicol.

"Saved your ass. Now we're even, Mr. Cop," Cagalli stuffed an unused smoke bomb in her bag, smirking triumphantly.

Athrun felt the inane irritation from days before hit back at full force. "What were you doing here?"

"Chuh, collecting information like you were, though I was only here in time to see you almost getting dotted with bullet holes. Now if you'll excuse me," she rolled her eyes at him in mock disappointment. Trying to keep his calm composure, Athrun glared at her retreating form.

At least he did obtain a valuable lead, he tried to comfort himself and ignored the fact this disrespectful woman had saved his life, even though he never needed her help.

* * *

Unfortunately for Athrun, Dearka was there when he told Shiho about the Weapon Dealer. The tanned man's cynical teasing grew extremely annoying and resulted in Athrun's foul mood as he and a (smartly quiet) Nicol went to the hospital.

Athrun showed the nurse his badge and smoothly inquired Kira's room number. Flustered at his intense glare, she stammered out the answer. Nicol rolled his eyes at the older man disapprovingly, "You didn't have to scare her like that." The blunette shrugged, used to intimidate people and not feel bad about it.

He knocked on the door once and entered without a second thought. According to Shiho's information, this Kira Yamato was temporarily paralyzed from neck down so other than sleeping, he won't really be disturbing the patient.

"How can we help you?" A pink-haired woman looked up from her sewing; she was sitting beside a brunette who Athrun assumed was Kira. The injured man lifted his head up feebly, trying to see his visitors better but fell back against the pillow in resignation.

"Sorry about this rather abrupt visit, Mr. Yamato, but there are some question we'd like to ask you," Athrun kept his voice as polite as possible, but his mind was already analyzing the two people before him. The pink-haired woman seemed to be very unsettled by his presence; she glanced at Kira in concern and seemed to have made up her mind about something.

"No problem, officer, but we'd like to see some prove before we answer anything," Kira replied affably, but his dark eyes had a dark glint.

Nicol flashed his badge. "Nicol Amalfi." "Athrun Zala," his green eyes held Kira's gaze evenly. The latter broke away from the staring contest with a relieved smile, "You seemed to be serious about your job, Mr. Zala. I'm glad some of the police are finally doing something. I'll be happy to answer any questions."

"Oh? What do you mean by that, Mr. Yamato?" Athrun's suppressed anger threatened to break away. This Kira's flippant attitude about the police was similar to Cagalli's. Where did the respect for the police go nowadays?

"I apologize if he had offended you, Mr. Zala," the woman spoke up, in a surprisingly strong voice, "But Kira and I cannot trust the police easily, not after what had happened."

"Ms. Lacus Clyne, right?" Athrun noted the grateful look Kira gave to Lacus, who replied with a loving smile. "What do you mean by that? And what is your relationship to Mr. Yamato?"

"She is my fiancé sir," Kira answered in an affectionate tone, "She was the one to discover me after the serial killer almost killed me. I am not sure if this was intentional or not, but one of the knife wound is…rather deep, which caused my paralysis."

"It was horrible. There was so much blood that I was hysteric," Lacus's voice trembled, but she continued resolutely, "I stayed by his side after the surgery. Then, a few days later at midnight, the killer tried to finish what he had started."

"He?" Athrun couldn't believe what he was hearing; did these two see the killer's face?

"Lacus assumed it was a 'he', due to the strength 'he' used to grab her wrists," Kira growled darkly, "I woke up just in time to see a dark shadow looming over my bed. The lights were off, so I didn't really see anything. At my startled shout, Lacus woke up and immediately pressed the emergency button. The killer held Lacus and I was so helpless, and so angry that he might kill her right before my eyes. But then I heard footsteps running down the hallway. The killer pushed her away and ran for the door. I assume he wasn't caught?"

Athrun tried to meet his accusing eyes but couldn't. Perhaps Cagalli was right after all, that the police were useless. His anger deflated slowly as he imagined himself in her shoes; maybe something happened to someone dear to heart because of the Viper, which made her so strong-minded and intrepid.

"I am sorry. I admit, Mr. Yamato, that the police really aren't making any progress in this case at all. The killer is cunning, cleverer than anyone I've known. I cannot speak for all the policemen, but I promise that Nicol and I will catch him."

Nicol was surprised at Athrun's words, knowing his pride. Kira and Lacus, however, seemed satisfied at the blunette's sincere tone.

"I was going to ask you what you know about the killer, but you have already answered my questions. You are a valuable witness, Mr. Yamato. I will send some of my colleagues to guard you."

"Thank you, Mr. Zala – ", Kira trailed off, hesitant about something.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Actually, there is. You see, my sister is… very impulsive. After my injury, she started acting very peculiar. I wish to know what she's been up to but, for obvious reasons, I cannot check up on her myself. Knowing her personality, she is likely to do something reckless to avenge me. She has good intentions in her heart and I appreciate it. Still, I couldn't help but worry about her." Kira seemed to be a different man; his serious and calm façade faded away, showing how stressed he was about the whole situation. He didn't care about the malevolent criminal after his life. He was more concerned about his sister and his fiancé.

Athrun felt that he would get along well with this Kira, despite their earlier differences. The two policemen stood up.

"Of course, Mr. Yamato, I will look after your sister whenever I can. It must have been a long day for you two. We will take our leave now," turning to Nicol, Athrun muttered, "Get Dearka and Yzak for me when we get back to the station. This could be a chance for him to make up for that mockery earlier. This guarding mission would give him something to do anyways."

"Again, thank you, Mr. Zala. Lacus and I care about Cagalli very much. I don't want her to get hurt, least of all because of me."

"Cagalli?" Nicol gulped, noting Athrun's sudden stiff posture. "W-we'll look up any files concerning Cagalli Yamato, er-"

Athrun was not surprised at all when Kira interrupted Nicol, "Mr. Amalfi, sorry about that but you see, my sister and I have different last names. Her full name is Cagalli Yula Athha."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of her. Let's go, Nicol." Kira blinked at the blunette's curt tone.

_I think I understand your feelings a little better now, Cagalli, _Athrun ignored Nicol's worried glances as he walked down the hallway decisively. _Your brother wants me to look after you, but would you want my help?_

* * *

"Thanks. No, really, stop worrying about me, I'll be fine. I'm not the top graduate for nothing!" Cagalli couldn't but smile at her solicitous contact's voice, "Anyways, I'll see you around."

She placed her cellphone into her pouch, her hand brushing against the unused smoke bomb. Grinning, she glanced at her watch. Deciding that she could afford to be late, she did a final check of the items in her pouch. She thanked her contact again, supplying her with just what she needed to pull off her escapades during the past few months.

The blonde woman adjusted her black cap and patiently tucked her hair into the cap. She discarded her jacket and pulled on a large trench coat. Satisfied with her appearance, she walked out from the alleyway into the bustling streets.

During the beginning of her 'work', she had been paranoid about everything. Often she would feel unnerving stares on her back, watching her every movement. But of course, that was before she got used to her new lifestyle.

"Your I.D.," the bouncer grumbled gruffly as she stood in front of her destination. As the man examined her identification, she caught her reflection on the door. A young man with short golden hair stared back at her with fearless amber eyes; Cagalli smiled at her disguise.

"Welcome to The Pit," the waiter said monotonously, tired of saying it to every customer who walked through. She nodded brusquely, walking in large strides towards the counter.

It was then she noticed an awfully familiar looking man sitting at a corner.

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End of Chapter 2

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(1) To avoid confusion, Meer's hair is dark-grey instead of pink. While she did have plastic surgery in order to become an idol, she doesn't look like Lacus.

**A/N:** ah extremely late update...but I'm very careful with this story because it is very character and plot-orientated so I want to make sure I got it all right. This story is pretty much Athrun-centric, so most of it is in his POV. Then it would be Cagalli's POV, then Nicol's. And occasionally Meyrin's.

Athyra


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